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It is of the utmost importance that, in view of the increasing competition for the carrying trade in these waters, the Government should endeavour to increase the facilities of its ports and take every means in its power to foster trade. The Tanjong Pagar Dock Company has, by a large expenditure of capital, provided wharves and docks which have, until recent years, proved sufficient for the requirements of the Port: but it has become a matter for serious consideration whether the time has not come for the formation of the Harbour Trust. The Tanjong Pagar Dook Company has secured a virtual monopoly of the wharpes and docks at Singapore, and there is a danger lost the imposition of increased tariff charges for the immediate benefit of shareholders may tend to direct shipping to foreign ports. When the Steamer Pier at Penang is completed, it is intended that a Harbour Board shall be vested with the management of the wharves and goods landing sheds.
Of late years considerable attention has been supplying information for British Merchants paid in England to the important question of at home as to the state of the markets and the openings for commercial enterprise in the Colonies and elsewhere. The Commercial instituto Branch of the Board of Trade, which was opened in 1899, should be of great assistance in this matter. The aims of this Intelligence have recently been brought under the notios of the Chambers of Com. merce in this Colony, and it is to be hoped that these bodies will co-operate in carrying out these objects in the interests of British Trade. It must be borne in mind, however, that these Chambers-foreign firms being largely represented and also that the Straits Merchants are for the most part middlemen acting as Agents for Foreign as well as British houses. It can hardly be expected that foreigners will be disposed to assist in ousting their own manufactures from the market. It is therefore
incumbent on the Government to use every means in its power to collect and place at the disposal of the Commercial Intelligence Branch of the Board of Trade the fullest and latest
information as to the conditions of the local markets, the openings for new ventures, and the different classes of goods for which there is a demand. With this object it is con- templated to charge a Government Officer, who is in a position to obtain trustworthy informa- tion in commercial matters, with the duty of receiving and answering enquiries addressed to him officially by the Commercial Intelligence branch or unofficially by merchants and others who may seek advice direct.
HONGKONG.
The departure of the T. K. K. steamer Hongkong Maru, which is on the San Francisco run, has been postponed to on or about the 4th prox, owing to unforseen repairs being required. She will not call at Shanghai.
The Clinical Report on Malaria as seen in the Government Civil Hospital during the half year of 1901, by Dr. J. Bell, Acting Principal Civil Medical Officer, and Lieut. Stewart, I.M.S., Acting Assistant Superintendent, is published in the Gozette.
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THE HONGKONG WEEKLY PRESS AND
Apart from plague last week the only case of communicable disease reported in the colony was one of enteric fever in Victoria, which unfortunately proved fatal.
[July 29, 1901.
Press regarding the discontent in the police Following the account which appeared in the force, Captain Superintendent May has issued striot orders that reporters in search of Among the arrivals by the Hongkong Maru information are not to be allowed beyond the was the Rev. E. J. Hardy, M.A.. the new bar of the charge-room, but are to be kept in Chaplain to the Forces in Hongkong, in succes-front of it, in line, presumably, with the sion to the Rev. G. R. Vallings.
prisoners. In issuing this order, Captain Superintendent May seems to be animated by a feeling that does him little credit.
Mr. James Henderson, foreman shipwright at the Kowloon Docks, left for England on the 20th inst. by the P. & O. steamer Sunda, having completed a five years' engagement. On the preceding night a social meeting was held in the reading-room at the Dooks, when Mr. W. C. Jack, superintendent engineer, on behalf of the staff, presented Mr. Henderson with a gold watch, suitably inscribed.
We are informed by the General Managers of Oliver's Freehold Mines, Limited, that, subject to the details being satisfactorily arranged, the Company's Agents in Sydney have been authorised to accept a proposal from Mr. J. Whear Roberts to take the "Eureka Mine" the Company in the shape of royalties to be on tribute for one year; the monies received by
applied to prospecting and development work at the lower levels. Mr. Roberts's last report on the Mine, containing the proposition referred to, may be seen by shareholders at the office of the Company. 38 and 40, Queen's Road Central.
The steamer Loongsang (Messrs. Jardine, Matheson & Co.), which arrived in the harbour. on the 22nd inst. from Manila, had on board one hundred tons of cargo-eighty tons of pig lead and twenty tons of hides and wool-salved from the Japanese steamer Futami Maru wrecked in the Straits of Mendora. The sunken vessel's cargo was bought by Mr. Chan Hewan, secretary of the Chai On Marine In- surance Company, of this colony, who sent down by the Loongsang a month ago about forty divers to salve the cargo. The work has been prosecuted with great energy, and that by the Loangsang on the 22nd was the first of what is confidently expected to be a series of profitable consignments.
'The death returns for the month of June show that there were 51 deaths in the European and foreign community (42 civilians, 8 army, 1 navy) and 952 in the Chinese community Plague accounted for 572 victims, including 20 European and foreign civilians, 105 of the Chinese plague cases were among the Kowloon land population. 69 in No. 4 district, 54 in No. 5, 52 in No. 6, 51 in No. 9, 49 in No. 7. and 41 No. 2, 93 deaths were from chest affections and 38 from malaria The average death-rates in the principal registration districts were as follows:-British and Foreign civil community 54 per 1,000 per annum (the same as May); Chinese community, Victoria, Land 54.1, Boat 331; Chinese, whole Colony, Land 43.6, Boat 30.6, Land and Boat 41.9; whole civil community 42.3.
Colonel L. F. Brown, R.E., Officer Command ing the Troops, has been appointed a Member of the Executive and Legistative Council dur. On the 25rd inst. last was the occasion of a ing the absence on leave of H. E. Major-festive gathering at the R.N. Canteen, con- General Gascoigne.
sisting of a dinner and smoking concert given by the members of the Rifle Shooting Club of H.M.8. Dido. Sergt.-Major Leeson, R.M.L.I., of the Dido, officiated 88 chairman at the dinner, to which thirty-five sat down. The smoking concert started at 8.30 p.m., Mr. Trenouth, Ship's Corp., very kindly taking the part of pianist. During the evening the following obliged with various selections: - Messrs Pollecnt, Petre, Hills, Cree, Fowler, Leeson, Atkins, Gallon, Graley, Trenouth and Wallis. The great success of the evening was undoubtedly a duet by Messrs. Trenouth and Wallis, whose rendering of Larboard Watch was deservedly encored. On behalf of the guests, Mr. Fowler proposed the health of the members of the Shooting Club of H.M.S_Dido, all the guests present joining in the well-known tune of "For they are jolly Considerable amusement was oured to good follows" Sergt. Major Lesson suitably pedestrians pasting the City Hall Library responded. Mr. Scott then gave a few remarks and Museum on the 22nd inst. The stuffed on the subject of rifle-shooting, pointing animals, and birds for some purpose or other out the great importance which should be were placed outside, and in an incredibly short attached to this practics, to which Sorgt-Instr. time a throng of Chinese were standing but Cross, B.M.L.I., responded; and a very enjoyable at a very respectful distance--and gasing at the | evening closed at midnight-“ God Save the samples of stufted fauna with almost awe depic. | King” being sang by all present. The arrang ted on their countenances. And though curiosity | monts throughout the evening both at din -compelled them to stand and gass, not one of and during the concert left nothing to
them apparently dared to approach mearer for | desired, thanks to the untiring afforts of the * closer inspection.
manager of the B. N. Canteen.
The German second-class cruiser Illis, (Captain Lans), which arrived in the harbour on Saturday from the North, took an active part, it will be remembered, in the bombard. ment of the Taku forts, when the heroic Captain Lans was severely wounded. The Ilir is going on to Canton.
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known as Jordan and Joseph, brokers and Mr. Elias Hyem Joseph, of the firm formerly commission agents, died suddenly on the inst. morning at his residence, No 13, Seymour Terrace. Deceased had been for many years with Messrs. David Sassoon, Sons and Co., whose the late Mr. Paul Jordan, in a brokerage and employ he left to enter into partnership with. commission agency business under the style of Jordan and Joseph. The late Mr. Joseph during his lengthy business career in this colony had made hosts of friends, who all sincerely 8,mpathise with his widow iu her bereavement. Armourer-Sergeant Williams,. Army Ordin» ance Corps (attached to the Royal Welsh Fusiliers), was buried at Happy Valley Cemetery on Friday afternoon with military honours. The coffin, draped with the Union Jack. wals borne on a gun-carriage, and literally hidden by wreaths-many others for which no place could be found were carried in rickshas. The wreaths were sent by the officers, staff and non-com- missioned officers and men of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and of the other corps and detach ments in the garrison, as well as by sympathising civilian friends of the deceased, who was very much liked and respected. He contracted fever three or four days ago, and admitted to hospital, where he died on Friday morning. The funeral was a most impressive one, and very largely attended, there being present, in addition to military and naval contingents, a great many of the public, who, however, were not admitted to the cemetery. A particularly touching part of the ceremony was the singing of the hymn "Days and moments quickly flying." Armourer Sergeant Wil- liams leaves a widow and four children, to whom the sincerest sympathy is extended. Doubtless that sympathy will take a practical form.
Was
An action of a most practical kind was taken on Friday afternoon by His Honour T. Ser- combe Smith, Acting Puisno Judge, to decide a claim in a summary case. It seems that during the typhoon in November last the embankment protecting certain paddy fields skirting Ching. Wan Bay was considerably damaged. The three owners of the paddy-fields joined together and agreed to have the embankment repaired and to divide the cost between them in proportion to the extent of their respective lots. This plan was carried into effect, but when it came to settling up one of the paddy field owners, Yung Kwok Shui by name, refused to pay his share of 857:40 on two grounds-first, because he was not a party to the agreement, and secondly, be- cause his land was in no way bounded or protected by the embankment. He was there- upon sued by the other two, and as the only way of determining the defendant's liability, His Honour decided to go over to Ching-Wan and inspect the ground personally. Agcordingly, in the afternoon, accompanied by several officials of the Supreme Court he went over to Ching- Wan in a steam-launch. In addition to going. over the ground, His Honour examined one or two of the village" elders," and as a result decided in favour of the plaintiffs, with costs.
On the 20th inst. the British_transports Uganda and Sumatra arrived from Taku, and the Haiching from Weihaiwei ; the hospital-ship Carthage left for Taku, and the surveying. ship Waterwitch for Borneo.
The transports Hatching and Sumatra, with native troops from the North, left the harbour on the 22nd Inst. for Calcutta.
On the 23rd inst, the British transport Chingfu arrived from Madras, The German gunboat Ittis left for Canton.
H.M. cruiser Inis arrived here on the 24th inst. from Kobe. The transport Canning arrived from Calcutta.
The British transports Glengyle anð“ Nevtin urrived on- Friday from Taks on their south. The Britisk transports Canning. 'Chinglu _left for "Shanghal und Taku
spectively.